President Bush and former President Bill Clinton could be forced to explain what they knew about Osama bin Laden's terror network before Sept. 11, 2001 if a member of the commission investigating the terror attacks gets his way.

John Lehman, who was secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan, said he'd like to have both men explain what they knew about al Qaeda and what, if anything, they did to try to prevent its attacks.

"I think it is very much in the country's interest - and in both President Clinton's and President Bush's interest to meet directly with the commissioners," Lehman told Time magazine.

Quizzing Them on 9/11

By TIMOTHY J. BURGER AND MATTHEW COOPER

TIME

Sunday, Jul. 06, 2003

Will President Bush be summoned before the independent commission investigating 9/11? It now appears very likely. John Lehman, Ronald Reagan's Navy Secretary and one of five Republicans on the 10-member panel, told TIME that he wants both President Bush and former President Clinton to meet with the commission and discuss matters that could include what their Administrations knew about the al-Qaeda terrorist plots—and what was done to combat them—before the 9/11 attacks.

With the commission evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, Lehman's position makes it all but certain that a majority will support a request to interview Bush and Clinton. "I don't think any commission should ever formally call a President to testify," Lehman said, "but I think it is very much in the country's interest—and in both President Clinton's and President Bush's interest—to meet directly with the commissioners." Responded White House press secretary Ari Fleischer: "The White House has been and will continue to cooperate with the commission."

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